Waiting For My World To Begin Again
by Red Witch
Summary: As Zachery and Eliza wait during their son's surgery, Stingray learns about empathy for another living being.


**The disclaimer saying that I don't own any Galaxy Rangers characters is in the hospital. This takes place after the events of 'Tangled Web'. **

**Waiting For My World To Begin Again**

Zach and Eliza sat in the waiting room. "It's going to be all right," Eliza held his hand.

"I know," Zach said. "I've been through this before. He'll be fine."

"Of course he will," Eliza smiled. She saw Shane and Stingray walk by. "Hey Goose. Stingray. Visiting Darkstar?"

"Yeah they want to keep her and the baby here for a few days for observation," Shane said as he walked up to them.

"She is the first natural born Supertrooper baby ever," Stingray shrugged. "They want to make sure she's fine and all that. Plus they're checking us both over, giving us some basic psych tests to make sure we're…you know, sane."

"That's gotta be a hassle," Zach said.

"Nah it's not that bad," Stingray said. "It's better than the Freezer. So what's going on here?"

"Little Zach is having his surgery to have his bionic eye put in," Zach told his friend.

"It's going to be all right," Shane said.

"I know I mean…" Zach let out a breath. "Cain personally found the best surgeon and Q-Ball does know his bionics better than anyone. And it's not like he is having half the bionics I had put in. It's not life threatening surgery."

Stingray frowned. "You're still worried."

"It's not easy when your child is hurt and you can't do anything," Zach let out a breath.

"I think I'm…starting to understand that…" Stingray said. "I mean the concept of worrying about other people isn't exactly something a Supertrooper is familiar with. But…if anything happened to Dawnstar…I don't think I could handle that."

"It never gets easier," Eliza said.

"I'm…" Stingray was at a loss for words. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Eliza smiled warmly. "It comes with the territory."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Shane asked Stingray.

"No one is ever ready to be a parent," Zach said. "I know I wasn't."

"I think we did all right, considering," Eliza said.

"Yeah, great…" Zach looked at the operating door.

"That's not your fault Zachery," Shane said softly.

"It just feels like it," Zach told him.

"There is something I don't understand," Stingray frowned. "This Broscoe…The one who hurt your kid. Why didn't you kill him?"

"I wanted to," Zach growled. "But…Part of it is because I'm too much of a lawman just to kill anyone in cold blood like that."

"And the other part?" Stingray asked.

"I guess I thought if I killed him he wouldn't suffer as much."

"Ah," Stingray nodded. "**That** I understand."

"So…" Zach said. "Speaking of the kids how are the Supertrooper Kids doing?"

"They're fine," Shane said. "Left 'em with Niko. They're making cards for Little Zach. Eliza, Niko said that she'd be helping you with your new psychic abilities."

"Right. I'm also going to be working with the Supertrooper Children," Eliza explained. "As well as helping Darkstar out with the baby."

"Let's face it, Supertroopers aren't exactly the most nurturing people," Stingray admitted. "We need all the help we can get."

"We've all talked to Waldo and we've agreed that custody of the kids will go to me, Darkstar, Stingray and Cheyenne," Shane said. "We're working on the details of physical custody and where they're going to live."

"Wait all four of you are getting custody?" Zach asked.

"That's not so unusual," Eliza said. "On Kirwin over a dozen children can have up to as many as eight guardians."

"I also got custody of Billy," Shane said. "Since Commander Walsh was technically his guardian. And well…We're both happy with the situation."

"That's good," Zach smiled.

"It's so strange," Shane said. "For a long time I've secretly wanted a family and now…It's bit overwhelming."

"I know what you mean," Stingray said. "I'm gonna go look in on Dawnstar for a minute."

"I'll go with you," Zach got up. "If you don't mind."

"Not at all," Stingray shrugged.

Zach followed Stingray to the maternity section of the Infirmary. Dawnstar was the only baby there in a futuristic cradle. She seemed to be asleep, peacefully sucking her thumb while wrapped in pink. Small wisps of white hair stuck out under her pink cap.

"She's beautiful, Stingray," Zach smiled as they stood in front of the cradle watching her.

"She's so small," Stingray said. "It just amazes me. I mean how could people like me and Darkstar make someone so innocent? I mean Darkstar it's not that hard to see but me…"

Instantly the baby opened her eyes. She seemed to be staring straight at Stingray. "Hello Love," Stingray placed his finger near her tiny hand so she could grasp it. "Have a good nap?"

Zach noticed something as the baby gripped Stingray's finger. "She's tracking already?"

"Tracking?"

"Her eyes are following you…" Zach explained. "That's not supposed to happen until she's older."

"Didn't you know Supertroopers were designed to develop faster than humans?" Stingray made a wry smile. "She knows me. She knows my scent and the sound of my voice. I guess our tracker genes carried over to her."

"Tracker genes?"

"Placed in us so we could hunt better," Stingray explained. "Those of us in the Australian base…We got dingo DNA. I always could smell things better than Goose."

"I learned once that Supertrooper babies were sealed away from human touch for the first six months of their lives," Zach frowned.

"Yeah," Stingray said. "That's not gonna happen with this one though."

"No, it won't," Zach smiled as the baby cooed. "I remember the day my son was born. I was on patrol so I couldn't be there in time. I remember nearly jumping out of my ship before it even stopped on the runway. When I got to the nursery…There he was. He wasn't much bigger than her. I couldn't believe that I was a father to someone so…He was my baby. He still is my baby but don't tell him that. You know how boys are."

"Yeah I got that," Stingray said.

Zach sighed. "It's just…He's my son. And he got hurt. And I can't focus on anything else until he's not hurt anymore. Nothing else matters. I can't even think of what's going to happen after surgery. I'm stuck trying not to think of anything and everything that can go wrong. Until that doctor tells me he's going to be all right…"

Zach closed his eyes. "I keep remembering him as a baby. Small and helpless. All he needed was my touch to make everything all right again. But I can't do that anymore. And coping with it…"

Stingray felt something he never felt before. Empathy for another living being. He suddenly had an urge to hold Dawnstar. He gently picked her up and held her close. "How do you…deal?" He asked.

"I just do," Zach sighed as he looked at the baby. "And I hope for the best."

Shane walked in. "Zachery, your kid's out of surgery. The doctor says he's fine. If you want to go see him…"

"Thanks Goose," Zach let out a sigh of relief. He smiled at the baby and left the room.

"It's strange," Stingray frowned. "I barely know the man but somehow…I feel bad for him. I don't like what happened to his kid. Even though…If I was my old self I wouldn't have cared. Or worse…"

"It's called compassion," Shane told him.

"Maybe it's because I have a little one of my own now," Stingray held his daughter close. "Everything's changed. It's not about me anymore. And it's not always going to be about her…I think I understand that now."

"Your old self never would have," Shane pointed out.

"Then maybe it's not such a bad thing that I don't have my eye blasts now," Stingray frowned. "Maybe…It's for the better. I can't hurt anyone else with them now. Especially her. When I first lost them I thought it was the end of the world. But looking at her…I don't care if I ever get them back."

The baby began to fuss a little. A nurse nearby smiled and walked up to them. "It's time for her to eat. I'll take her to her mother."

"All right, Love," Stingray whispered to the infant. "Daddy's gotta go away now. But I'll be right back. You go see your mum."

He handed the baby over to the nurse and she took him to Darkstar. "Let's go visit Little Zach first," Shane suggested. Stingray nodded.

By the time they got to Zach Jr.'s room he was awake and surrounded by people. Zachery, Eliza, Niko, Q-Ball, the Kiwi and Supertrooper Kids were there. As well as Billy, Jessica and Buzzwang. "I think this room is more than maximum occupancy," Buzzwang said.

"I don't think they're going to enforce that rule much," Shane smirked. "How are you feeling Little Zach?"

Zach Jr. had a bandage over his left eye. "Pretty good. Still a little groggy. It doesn't even hurt."

"There was a lot of trauma around the eye," Q-Ball explained as he removed the bandages. "Even with the latest surgical techniques there might be some scars around his eye."

Zach held his breath as the bandages were removed. "Okay Little Zach open your eye."

"I…I can see!" Zach Jr. gasped. "I can see perfectly!"

"I made the bionic eye to match the color of your real one," Q-Ball checked it out with a diagnostic tool. "Even threw in a few extras."

"Extras?" Shane asked.

"Zoom focus, night vision," Q-Ball shrugged. "The usual."

"Oh I can't wait to try them out!" Zach Jr. laughed. He looked at his father. "Dad? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, you look great! It's just…" Zach was stunned.

"There's a little…Scarring," Eliza blinked.

"A scar! Let me see!" Zach Jr. got a mirror. To his surprise there were some fresh scars over his left eye but they were in an unusual pattern. "What…?"

"It looks like a star is over your eye," Jessica said.

"Or your eye is in the middle of the star," Buzzwang said.

"Wow! You look like you just joined a rock band!" Bubblehead chirped.

"Weird," Zach Jr. blinked. "So is this…?"

"Permanent? I'm afraid so," Q-Ball sighed.

"Join the club," Ryder snorted.

"Ignore them," Stingray said. "Scars are a badge of honor and survival. No shame in them."

"Yeah well," Zach Jr. shrugged. "I'm just happy I can see out of my eye again."

"You look great," Zach told his son, gently stroking his hair.

"We made you cards," Swee held up a card. "We want you to get better Zach."

"Thanks guys," Zach Jr. took a handful of homemade cards.

"Just hurry up and get better so you can come home and clean up your room," Jessica smirked.

"I might be too traumatized to do that," Zach Jr. whistled.

"Nice try," Zachery smiled. Even though his son was scarred the worst was over.

Life could begin again.


End file.
